sam_musil's Blog

Sicilian Pin White Crush

Submitted by sam_musil on Mon Mar 9, 2009 10:27pm.

Since I joined Chess.com, I have completed 8 games against the Sicilian Pin Variation playing the white pieces.  I have won 7 of the 8 games with one draw versus Marjan Lacic, who plays under the handle "lac."  Marjan is a very strong master wit... Read more »

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World League Warm-Up

Submitted by sam_musil on Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:32pm.

This is my first game from a World League Warm-up match between Team England and Team USA South Central.  England crushed the USA 93.5 to 36.5 with just my second game to go in a 130 board match, because the Brits outranked us on every board exce... Read more »

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Sicilian Pin Black Crush

Submitted by sam_musil on Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:18am.

Since I have joined Chess.com, I have played the black side of a Sicilian Pin Defense in 16 completed games.  I have a 68.8% black win rate in those 16 games and have lost only four of those 16 games!  Against 1. e4 I have played 37 games and ha... Read more »

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Overcoming Fear

Submitted by sam_musil on Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:43pm.

This win kept me undefeated and untied in my section of the Strongest Tournament Ever with 7 straight wins.  However, Meng, who plays under the handle "Mengsky" terrified me with a strong mating attack AFTER he had blundered a piece!  At one tim... Read more »

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Team Chess Mis-match

Submitted by sam_musil on Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:25pm.

I joined Power of Chess in September of 2008 and stated playing in a bunch of team matches to prove my worthiness of the honor of joining such a strong team.  I ended up in a series of horrible mis-matches where I was rated 200 to 800 points abov... Read more »

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Sicilian Pin Combo

Submitted by sam_musil on Thu Feb 5, 2009 11:54pm.

Recently, I have sponsored two thematic tournaments: Sicilian Pin and Sicilian Pin Koch.  I currently have 18 wins and one defeat with no draws counting both tourneys.  I have not analyzed any of these games because everyone is playing the same ... Read more »

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Sicilian Nimzo Advanced Draw

Submitted by sam_musil on Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:19pm.

This game gave me 5.0 points in the second round of the 2nd Chess.com tourney.  In the last 10 years, I have played the Nimzowitsch Variation as a back-up variation to both test it out and throw opponents off.  I have decided that it is too risk... Read more »

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Miracle Comeback Win

Submitted by sam_musil on Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:19pm.

This was the final game in the first tourney that I played on this site.  I had already locked up the championship by a 1/2 point with 7 points with Gala at second with 6 1/2 points.  However, even though I was totally out-played in the opening,... Read more »

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Sicilian Scheveningen Keres

Submitted by sam_musil on Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:46pm.

On Dec. 7, I complted my latest crush of the Sicilian Scheveningen Variation by using the powerful Keres Attack.  This is against a Polish Master and is worthy of study because of the powerful knight sac that destroys black's position! Read more »

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Interesting Welcome Game

Submitted by sam_musil on Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:08pm.

Most of my Welcome Games only last a few moves and the new players let the time expire.  However, this new player from Bangkok played an interesting game that serves as a teaching vehicle.  He violates several important chess principles ... Read more »

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